Vjekoslav Heinzel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vjekoslav Heinzel
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| Mayor of Zagreb | |
| In office 17 August 1920 – 23 October 1928 |
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| Preceded by | Stjepan Srkulj |
| Succeeded by | Stjepan Srkulj |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Alois Heinzel
21 August 1871 Zagreb, Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia, Austria-Hungary |
| Died | 1 March 1934 (aged 62) Zagreb, Kingdom of Yugoslavia |
| Nationality | Croatian |
| Spouse | Berta Pick |
| Alma mater | Technische Hochschule Graz University of Stuttgart |
| Profession | Architect |
Vjekoslav Heinzel was an important person in the history of Zagreb, Croatia. He was the Mayor of Zagreb from 1920 to 1928. People remember him most for the big projects he started in the 1920s. These projects helped the city grow a lot.
Early Life and Career
Vjekoslav Heinzel was born on August 21, 1871, in Zagreb. His birth name was Alois Heinzel. He came from a family that owned businesses. He went to school in Graz and Stuttgart to study to become an architect. He finished his studies in 1893.
By 1896, he was allowed to work as an architect on his own. He designed many buildings in Zagreb. In 1906, Alois changed his name to Vjekoslav. In 1910, he became a city councillor. This meant he helped make decisions for the city. In 1912, he became the leader of the local Chamber of Trade and Crafts. This group helped businesses and skilled workers.
After 1912, he stopped his work as an architect for a while. He traveled around Europe. When World War I started, he came back to Zagreb. He helped organize how food was supplied to the city during the war.
A Pioneer in Cars
Vjekoslav Heinzel was also one of the first people in Croatia to own and drive a car. He and Ferdinand Budicki drove the first car in Zagreb. In 1906, he helped start the Croatian automobile club.
He loved car racing and took part in many early races. In 1912, he even won the first race for the championship of the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia.
Mayor of Zagreb
Heinzel became the Mayor of Zagreb in 1920. This was during the time of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. He served as mayor until August 1921. After a short break, he was re-elected in 1922. He was part of a political group called the Croatian Bloc.
He was re-elected again in later elections. During his time as mayor, he focused on building and expanding the city.
Modernizing Zagreb
Heinzel's administration built many new parts of Zagreb. These included neighborhoods like Peščenica, Trnje, Trešnjevka, and Maksimir. He also helped build and make bigger many hospitals.
He started the famous Dolac Market. This is a big open-air market in Zagreb. He also rebuilt a road called Laščinska road. Today, this road is known as Vjekoslav Heinzel Avenue. It is a very important road in the eastern part of the city. It connects different areas and helps people travel around.
During Heinzel's time as mayor, Zagreb got some new technology. On June 15, 1926, the city got its first radio transmitter. This allowed radio broadcasts to start. On April 1, 1926, Zagreb also got its first automatic telephone system. This system could connect up to 7,000 telephone users.
These big projects cost a lot of money. The city had to take out a large loan to pay for them. Some people criticized this at the time. However, these projects greatly helped Zagreb grow and become a modern city.
